Mom is 92, soon to be 93 in February. When daddy was sick almost 5 years ago, I moved them both in with me so I could care for him. In 6 months he had died from complications from a hospital stay. Clostridium Difficile, a hospital acquired infection.

Mom stayed on with us. We have a lovely mother in law suite with large bath, closet, living room/bedroom and a door she can lock. It’s home to her now. When daddy died here at home with mom and I at his side, my cat moved in with mom. Mom feeds her and gives her water each day and Spot is now mom’s cat. It’s good. I still have horses and a lab to take care of!

My mom has remained very independent, taking care of her own bills, checking and savings accounts, caring for herself and little housekeeping chores like dusting once in a while. She gets her own breakfast and lunch and I cook the big meal of the day in the evening for us all. It’s been a while since she’s baked but at first she loved baking her oatmeal cake and pumpkin cookies and fudge! YUM!

In 5 years she hasn’t lost much in functioning. A little forgetful for recent past things at times. Amazing woman, my mom.

On Wednesday, I knocked and went in to see her as I was ready to go outside to feed the horses. She said something that sounded like, “why can’t I talk?”

Her left cheek was drooped and her speech was slurred. She said she was fine when she got up and took her thyroid pill. Then she fed her cat, made her bed and went to her chair to pray, her normal morning routine. But she was unable to say, “Jesus”.

I gave her 2 aspirin, knowing this was a clot, not a brain bleed. She got one down but choked on the other and got it up. Swallowing was now a problem. I called 911 to have her taken to the hospital, checked her vital signs and assessed her legs and arms. She had only lost speech, swallow and her left cheek drooped.

The EMT’s checked her, got her history and suggested flying her to Pittsburgh, to a stroke center since the time of the stroke was known and 3 hours is the limit for intervention to limit the stroke, or reverse it.

Mom’s been in the hospital for 2 days now. Her slurred speech is improved. They have placed a feeding tube since her swallow is too risky and aspiration pneumonia causes a huge mortality rate in people who can’t swallow.

So, today I’m getting ready to drive to Pittsburgh again to spend the day. I hope to see some improvement again today. Yesterday, her speech was better and I could understand everything she said. Additionally, she could cough which she couldn’t do on Wednesday and she could purse her lips which she also couldn’t do on Wednesday.

Yesterday mom asked me if I heard what was playing on the radio while her stroke was happening and I couldn’t remember what it was. She said, “They were playing a song by the Booth Brothers. This is My Valley.

Sometimes it seems
My heart’s gonna break
It seems like more
Than my mind can take
I still believe trials make me strong
So tears and pain can’t last too long.

This is my valley
I will not complain
I know it’s good for me
To suffer tears and pain.

This is my trial
I will do my best
To stand each trial and test
This is my valley.

And every man has
A valley to walk
No one else
Can carry his cross
As soon as I pass
This veil of tears
I’ll lay down my load
On Zion’s hill.

This is my valley
I will not complain
I know it’s good for me
To suffer tears and pain.

This is my trial
I will do my best
To stand each trial and test
This is my valley.
Oooooo

I remember hearing it now, as I was assessing her stroke. And I thought then, yes, this is your valley, mom.

And mine. 😢

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About tannngl

Believer (God the Father, the Son and Messiah, the Holy Spirit), daughter, wife, mother, memaw, RN, hobbit, street evangelist
I love people, music, reading, praying, studying the Bible, keeping up with national news and politics.
I am a strict constructionist, a true American. I love my country. I honor her warriors. I am thankful for our Constitution and will personally bear arms for it.

Thank you very much abc. So many are praying. God is answering in a big way. With congestive heart failure the echo cardiogram shows 55-60% ejection fraction. This is normal! Unless they read another person’s test! Praise God!!!